Sonnon's OCS Prep: I of PHASE IV

[Scott Sonnon]

I'll be posting this sometime after I finish teaching classes tonight.

PRECHARGE intends to resolve any precondition ticks and to focus on getting my work capacity up to snuff with my target volume. In other words, I'll be starting a 4 week GPP cycle using Clubbells. This will be followed by my SPP cycle tearing down the components of the OCS events and tweaking the power generation moments. The following cycle involves skill refinement (PS) with the 25s reassembling all of the components, while tagging the target numbers plus with the 20s. In the final push, I'll shoot for two OCS trial runs with my target numbers +15-20% and preparing to recovery from and overcome any Murphy Moments in my performance (such as refining the Park from Back to Shoulder Position).

Good luck to all preparing competitors! I'll be with you in spirit, spilling the sweat and making the inner pansy whimper.

[Scott Sonnon]

10/02/03:

1st (Morning) Session: (30 minutes)

Cervical ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Shoulder Rolls, Screw, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Elbow Circles Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Wrist Circles, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Finger Circles, Chasing Circles, Flaps, Infinities, Waves
Arm Waves and Alternative Waves
Thoracic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Pelvic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Lumbar Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Leg Infinity Diagonals
Foot waves
Four Corner Balance Drill arm stretch 30 sec/position
Vibration Drills: squats, strikes, sweeps, projections

Comments: Was running low on energy, and I have a Body-Flow class tonight, plus a OCS number check on my Mills. Needed to juice up with some joint mobility.

[Scott Sonnon]

10/02/03:

2nd (Evening) Session: (30 minutes)

Performance Test: Mills with 25lbs Clubbells
87 right/90 left in 10 minutes (Point total: 87)
RPE: 8
RT: 6

Comments: Not outstanding, but still fairly good since I haven't prep'ed the Mill yet. However, my technique is definitely wanting. I need to break it down, file the components smooth, then build it back up together synergistically. I'm confident I'll hit IMS by the OCS event day, with total score of 191 needed for the IMS category: today's 87 Mill points and last nights 100 points on the Swipes, I'm very close, but it doesn't factor in the compression of only a 30 minute break between events. But there're thousands of little steps to take between now and then to make sure this is done well and healthily with perfect form - which is the whole point of strength endurance sports. Now, off to some evening Vibration Drills to abate this mad arm-pump.

[Scott Sonnon]

10/03/03:

1st (Morning) Session: (30 minutes)

Cervical ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Shoulder Rolls, Screw, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Elbow Circles Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Wrist Circles, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Finger Circles, Chasing Circles, Flaps, Infinities, Waves
Arm Waves and Alternative Waves
Thoracic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Pelvic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Lumbar Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Leg Infinity Diagonals
Foot waves
Four Corner Balance Drill arm stretch 30 sec/position
Vibration Drills: squats, strikes, sweeps, projections


2nd (Afternoon) Session: (30 minutes)

I. Skills Practice of Swipe component power generation, isometric carry-over, and eccentric control maneuvers (with two 15lbs Clubbells): A. 2 sets of 5 reps Basic Arm Swing (head height)
--->Focus on the BAS was to get the proper rhythm with the finger roll to release arm-pump and prevent over-grip.
B. 2 sets of 5 reps Spouts: Clean to Armpit Cast (to Back Position) to Double Parry to Park
--->Focus on creating a "safety valve" so in case of rep failure, I can bail with the Parry Cast without stopping point count.
C. 2 sets of 5 reps Cossacks: Armpit Cast to Flag Position with a rock-bottom squat
D. 2 sets of Performance (not Technical) Swipes
--->I'll be reserving grooving the Technical Swipes for the competition once I lay a solid "safety valve" of the complete movements by practicing and refining the Performance Swipes this Phase.
II. Skills Practice of Mill component power generation, isometric carry-over and eccentric control manuevers (alternating one 15lbs Clubbells): A. 2 sets of 5 reps Inward Pendulums
--->Concentrated on the Technical Pendulum variant rather than the Performance variant, where the former is in a contracted Torch hold rather than extended hammer grip into order with each revolution. The return to Order with each rep is too extraneous for OCS prep, and doesn't lend significant carry-over.
B. 2 sets of 5 reps TaskMasters: Parry Cast to Back Position to Shoulder Cast Muscle-Out, to Back Position, to Parry Cast to Park
--->Focus on pulling the weight along the action line of the Clubbell structure rather than casting it outward into the Muscle-Out.
--->Focus on creating a "safety valve" so in case of rep failure, I can bail with the Parry Cast without stopping point count.
C. 2 sets of 5 reps Short-Whips: Shield Cast to Flag Position
--->Groove the "small circle" around my head by getting the Clubbell center of mass to move in the "question mark" into full Flag Position rather than passing out of the plane's orbit.
D. 2 sets of 5 reps Mills: both sides
--->I'll be reserving grooving the Technical Mills for the competition once I lay a solid "safety valve" of the complete movements by practicing and refining the Performance Mills this Phase.
Comments: My goal with this PRECHARGE Phase is to perfect my technique. I can nearly nail IMS numbers already (definitely MS), but not with perfect form. If I intend to hit IMS without sweating at the first OCS Championships (and I do), then I need to concentrate on technique, technique, technique. Besides, on my test run, there were a few questionable reps that a judge probably would have not awarded.

[Scott Sonnon]

10/03/03:

3rd (Evening) Session: (35 minutes)

I. Skills Practice of Swipe: A. 1 sets of 10 reps Basic Arm Swing (head height)
B. 1 sets of 10 reps Spouts: Clean to Armpit Cast (to Back Position) to Double Parry to Park
C. 1 sets of 10 reps Cossacks: Armpit Cast to Flag Position with a rock-bottom squat
D. 1 set of 100 Technical Swipes (~ 8 minutes)
II. Skills Practice of Mill: A. 2 sets of 10 (R/L) Inward Pendulums
B. 2 sets of 10 (R/L) TaskMasters: Parry Cast to Back Position to Shoulder Cast Muscle-Out, to Back Position, to Parry Cast to Park
C. 2 sets of 10 (R/L) Short-Whips: Shield Cast to Flag Position
D. 2 sets of 100 (R/L) reps Mills: both sides (forgot to time)
Comments: Great light practice session tonight. Found my groove with the Mills for sure. The knee dip when the Clubbell swings down behind the head (in the Shield Cast) accelerates its CoM, and by lat flair coupled with isometric contraction of the tricep creates a solid platform to allow the acceleration to carry it past center line into the next Pendulum. Could have easily continued for another couple hundred with this one small nuance. If I groove this with the 25s... :twisted:
I'll be continuing this AM/PM to get my groove for the next 7 days. Then time to move up to the 20s and repeat the process.

[Coach Jones]

What weight class are you in Coach?? I only ask because if two death marches, and a plethora of other exercises counts as a "light workout" for you, then I need to make $%^& sure your not in mine. :wink:

-Brandon

[Coach Jones]

I'm sorry...three THREE death marches.
-Brandon

[Scott Sonnon]

10/03/03:

1st (Afternoon) Session: (35 minutes)

I. Skills Practice of Swipe w/ 15lbs Clubbells: A. 1 sets of 10 reps Basic Arm Swing (head height)
B. 1 sets of 10 reps Spouts: Clean to Armpit Cast (to Back Position) to Double Parry to Park
C. 1 sets of 10 reps Cossacks: Armpit Cast to Flag Position with a rock-bottom squat
D. 1 set of 100 Technical Swipes (5 minutes exactly) II. Skills Practice of Mill alternating a 15lbs Clubbell: A. 2 sets of 10 (R/L) Inward Pendulums
B. 2 sets of 10 (R/L) TaskMasters: Parry Cast to Back Position to Shoulder Cast Muscle-Out, to Back Position, to Parry Cast to Park
C. 2 sets of 10 (R/L) Short-Whips: Shield Cast to Flag Position
D. 2 sets of 100 (R/L) reps Mills: both sides (7 minutes 10 seconds) Comments: Another light practice session today. Got the Swipes up to 20RPMs for 10 minutes. Feel extremely comfortable with the technique. Mills up to ~28RPMs and totally fine with the groove, but experimenting with two different variations: a speed pull through the recovering pendulum portion of the rep, and the knee dip in the descending shield cast portion of the rep. The two don't work well combined - too much acceleration without any "loose" component for the grasp - so although the RPMs are massive, it's taxing the grip too much. Alternating these techniques though, allows the local musculature recruited in each respective technique to relax while the other works. Pretty cool little oscillation... and uber-fast.

[crubio]

Coach,

You are going to be hard to beat. :!: Excellent training log. Thanks for sharing this because it gives me some cool things to think about and work on in my own training.

[Scott Sonnon]

Thanks, Chris. Four months to go, but that will go fast. Long days = short years. I edited in above that I used the 15s for today's session. My strategy is: 1. Technique
2. Volume
3. Weight I'll be moving from the Welters to the Cruisers before programming up to the Heavies, but only after first getting perfect form, and then my target numbers with each respective division before moving up in weight.

Brandon, I'm preparing for 180, but I don't intend on sucking weight like in Sambo to make my class. I don't even own a scale anymore - too many bad memories. :P

I'm looking forward to seeing how all of you are preparing & progressing!

[Scott Sonnon]

10/05/03:

1st (Morning) Session: (30 minutes)

Cervical ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Shoulder Rolls, Screw, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Elbow Circles Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Wrist Circles, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Finger Circles, Chasing Circles, Flaps, Infinities, Waves
Arm Waves and Alternative Waves
Thoracic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Pelvic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Lumbar Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Leg Infinity Diagonals
Foot waves
Four Corner Balance Drill arm stretch 30 sec/position
Vibration Drills: squats, strikes, sweeps, projections

Comments: A well needed active recovery day off...

[Scott Sonnon]

10/06/03:

1st (Morning) Session: (30 minutes)

Cervical ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Shoulder Rolls, Screw, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Elbow Circles Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Wrist Circles, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Finger Circles, Chasing Circles, Flaps, Infinities, Waves
Arm Waves and Alternative Waves
Thoracic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Pelvic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Lumbar Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Leg Infinity Diagonals
Foot waves
Four Corner Balance Drill arm stretch 30 sec/position
Vibration Drills: squats, strikes, sweeps, projections

2nd (Afternoon) Session: (40 minutes)
4 sets of 8 incline dumbbell press to prime (two 90lbs DBs)
I. Skills Practice of Swipe w/ 15lbs Clubbells: A. 1 sets of 10 reps Basic Arm Swing (head height)
B. 1 sets of 10 reps Spouts: Clean to Armpit Cast (to Back Position) to Double Parry to Park
C. 1 sets of 10 reps Cossacks: Armpit Cast to Flag Position with a rock-bottom squat
D. 1 set of 200 Technical Swipes (10 minutes 15 seconds) - steady 20RPM using Performance Breathing (with only a few fluctuations throwing me behind 15 seconds) Comments: Yikes. :shock: That was rough. Testing with my new plan. I'll announce the details of the entire scope in an upcoming article. Most of you will be able to extrapolate the strategy.
A sweet discover on the Swipes after around 100 reps: I used the ridge of where my wrist meets my hand (palm side) to catch the Clubbells (while my fingers only worked to hold it in the purchase point) when in the rear loaded position during the swing phase. This preserved my grip tremendously so that I could use my crush-grip only for the sudden deceleration into and acceleration out of Back Position.
Arm pump would make a bodybuilder seriously jealous :wink: but since that's not only NOT my goal, but detrimental to OCS performance, I implemented Virbation Drills until the pump abated. I need to keep even more relaxed during the performance.

[Scott Sonnon]

10/07/03:

1st (Morning) Session: (60 minutes)

Cervical ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Shoulder Rolls, Screw, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Elbow Circles Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Wrist Circles, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Finger Circles, Chasing Circles, Flaps, Infinities, Waves
Arm Waves and Alternative Waves
Thoracic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Pelvic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Lumbar Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Leg Infinity Diagonals
Foot waves
Four Corner Balance Drill arm stretch 30 sec/position
Vibration Drills: squats, strikes, sweeps, projections

II. Skills Practice of Mill alternating a 15lbs Clubbell: A. 2 sets of 10 (R/L) Inward Pendulums
B. 2 sets of 10 (R/L) TaskMasters: Parry Cast to Back Position to Shoulder Cast Muscle-Out, to Back Position, to Parry Cast to Park
C. 2 sets of 10 (R/L) Short-Whips: Shield Cast to Flag Position
D. 2 sets of 167 (R/L) reps Mills: both sides (12 minutes)
Comments: To hit my PHASE IV program, I need to get my Mills down to 167/167 in 10 minutes. I had an excellent technique practice, but then didn't hit the groove of my RPMs until about 4 minutes in. From there, I juiced up my RPMs to (stupidly) try and catch up. At that point, I began to sacrifice form. It was then that I realized and slowed down.

There are those glory-seekers who prioritize some number over health. They have become misguided and project their notion of victory outward upon real athleticism - which is lifetime vitality and health. Victory comes from the lifetime "war" against ego's expectations, not from winning a number battle.

When vamping up the RPMs, I began to crank out decreased time by keeping my elbow bent and muscles tight to accelerate the Clubbell in the Inward/Downward aspect of the Pendulum portion. Although this increased RPMs it infused major arm-pump and over-grip. This won't help performance ultimately, and leads only to tendonitis. Slowed down at minute 8 and concentrated on locking the elbow when transitioning from passing through Order Position to the Pendulum swing. That smoothed the groove, and although I lost RPMs, I gained stamina and prevented injury's accumulation.

Outstanding Technical Nuance Discovery! I did stumble upon an additional performance tweak that I learned in medieval Russian sword fighting from one of the Russian National Fencing Coaches. When casting over the head in the Shield Cast, sway the entire torso towards the neck and knob of the Clubbell. Basically, instead of pulling the Center of Mass over and around the head, push the neck and knob under, so that the middle of the Clubbell rotates in "Zero Position" (free-fall). This greatly increased the efficiency of the swing and diminished over all effort in the maneuver.

[Scott Sonnon]

10/08/03:

1st (Afternoon) Session: (75 minutes)

Cervical ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Shoulder Rolls, Screw, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Elbow Circles Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Wrist Circles, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Finger Circles, Chasing Circles, Flaps, Infinities, Waves
Arm Waves and Alternative Waves
Thoracic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Pelvic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Lumbar Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Leg Infinity Diagonals
Foot waves
Four Corner Balance Drill arm stretch 30 sec/position
Vibration Drills: squats, strikes, sweeps, projections

Strength Test: 4 sets of 9 incline dumbbell press to prime (two 90lbs DBs)

Skills Practice of Swipe w/ 15lbs Clubbells: A. 1 sets of 10 reps Basic Arm Swing (head height)
B. 1 sets of 10 reps Spouts: Clean to Armpit Cast (to Back Position) to Double Parry to Park
C. 1 sets of 10 reps Cossacks: Armpit Cast to Flag Position with a rock-bottom squat
D. 1 set of 167 Technical Swipes in 8.5 minutes (no rest) - 19RPM
Comments: Good session. Test puts me at my strongest ever. My madness here will be revealed in my article in the new issue of CST Mag.

[Coach Jones]

Congrats on the personal best coach. Impressive!!

-Brandon

Is there any way we can see the flag position? We Alpha's missed it. Doug tried to explain it to me but I must be doing it wrong.

[Scott Sonnon]

Thanks, amigo. It's weird - this strength by-product.

The Flag Position is like Order, but held outward with elbows locked (and elbow pits facing directly upward - enabling the pec-lat lock.) It's not a beginning level position, because nooBs tend to over-grip and strain themselves. It should actually naturally occur as a result of strengthening the move into and out of Order Position - and should not be held for greater than 4-5 seconds.

[Scott Sonnon]

10/09/03:

1st (Morning) Session: (30 minutes)

Skills Practice of Mill alternating a 15lbs Clubbell: A. 2 sets of 10 (R/L) Inward Pendulums
B. 2 sets of 10 (R/L) TaskMasters: Parry Cast to Back Position to Shoulder Cast Muscle-Out, to Back Position, to Parry Cast to Park
C. 2 sets of 10 (R/L) Short-Whips: Shield Cast to Flag Position
D. 2 sets of 167 (R/L) reps Mills: both sides (10 minutes
RPE: 8
RT: 9
Comments: Target volume accomplished!!! Technique grooved sweetly. I'm two weeks ahead of my program, so I'm going to consider moving forward to PHASE II of PHASE IV next week. Tomorrow when PHASE IV is published at CST Magazine, the details of my progression will be available to anyone interested.

[Scott Sonnon]

10/09/03:

2nd (Evening) Session: (20 minutes)

Skills Practice of Swipe w/ 15lbs Clubbells: A. 1 sets of 10 reps Basic Arm Swing (head height)
B. 1 sets of 10 reps Spouts: Clean to Armpit Cast (to Back Position) to Double Parry to Park
C. 1 sets of 10 reps Cossacks: Armpit Cast to Flag Position with a rock-bottom squat
D. 1 set of 184 Technical Swipes in 9.5 minutes (no rest)
Comments: Target volume achieved on Swipes! I definitely think it's time for a couple days of rest off this volume.
However, it gave me the opportunity to find a great efficiency tweak in the Swipes. The lateral "sway" that accelerates the neck and knob of the Clubbell under in the Mill also accelerates the Clubbells coming up from the Swing phase into the (reverse) Armpit Cast (moving towards Back Position). With the Technical Swipe nuance of bringing the head of the Clubbells deeply under the Armpits, this acceleration stores as elastic energy for the return cast phase of the Armpit Cast. I trucked along on this vamping up my RPMs and finished 30 seconds ahead of schedule for my target volume of rep-pnts!
Next week - it's time for Phase II!

Not often I say this - but that's strong stuff. Would love to hear about the sword training. Just read " By the Sword" by Richard Cohen. Amazing social, philosophical history of the sword from military to fencing.

[Scott Sonnon]

10/10/03:

1st (Afternoon) Session: (30 minutes)

Cervical ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Shoulder Rolls, Screw, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Elbow Circles Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Wrist Circles, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Finger Circles, Chasing Circles, Flaps, Infinities, Waves
Arm Waves and Alternative Waves
Thoracic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Pelvic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Lumbar Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Leg Infinity Diagonals
Foot waves
Four Corner Balance Drill arm stretch 30 sec/position
Vibration Drills: squats, strikes, sweeps, projections

Comments: A needed day of rest and active recovery. Systemwide DOMS. :o I'll be fine by Sunday keeping up with my Warrior Wellness.

Bill, I'm an old time knife and sword nut. I keep it to myself these days as most people are more interested in brass casings than cold steel.

[sin_goodfellow]

most people are more interested in brass casings than cold steel.

Guns are all good, but knives never run out of ammo. Cliche I know, but I am definitely a member of the Cold Steel fan club. Just got the new Cold Steel catalog, whooohooo!!.

Heh, fear the swordsman who is a Bruiser swinger.


Jesse Wells

[Scott Sonnon]

10/11/03:

1st (Afternoon) Session: (40 minutes)

Cervical ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Shoulder Rolls, Screw, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Elbow Circles Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Wrist Circles, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Finger Circles, Chasing Circles, Flaps, Infinities, Waves
Arm Waves and Alternative Waves
Thoracic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Pelvic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Lumbar Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Leg Infinity Diagonals
Four Corner Balance Drill arm stretch 30 sec/position
Vibration Drills: squats, strikes, sweeps, projections

Comments: Still recovering from the DOMS. Forearms a tad still tender. Weird subscapular tweak which happened to resolve with the pelvic DROM - a sudden pop and the tension subsided, and eventually diminished over time. Combining the pelvic and finger DROM seemed to work the tense kinetic chain from both ends. I need to follow Phase II methodically. In my bravado, I cruised to the end of Phase I less... gradually than I ought to have done. Sure, I put up my target volume, but I should be able to do that with little recovery time required. PHASE IV program should guarantee that rapid recovery PLUS target volume nailed.

[Scott Sonnon]

10/12/03:

1st (Afternoon) Session: (40 minutes)

Cervical ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Shoulder Rolls, Screw, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Elbow Circles Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Wrist Circles, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Finger Circles, Chasing Circles, Flaps, Infinities, Waves
Arm Waves and Alternative Waves
Thoracic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Pelvic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Lumbar Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Leg Infinity Diagonals
Four Corner Balance Drill arm stretch 30 sec/position
Vibration Drills: squats, strikes, sweeps, projections

Comments: Well, it began a few days ago, but I didn't predict this... I watched both my wife and daughter go through it, and two days after their conditions resolved, it nipped me. I rarely get sick these years, but since having a child who is exposed to other children often I occassionally get nabbed by a bug. The sore throat and runny nose passed within 24 hours, the fatigue lingered 48, but what I didn't expect were the muscle spasms at the end of the bug's resolution.

My wife had thought she had strained herself in yoga after taking a rather serious contusion at a park gym - a kinetic chain from thigh to cross subscapular area. However, we prematurely diagnosed it. My daughter rarely complains and has caught only a handful of viral infections. This past one she was very upset - clearly in pain and couldn't sleep. She calmed every night while I massaged her back to sleep. We didn't put it together that she had the spasms in her back as well.

When it hit me yesterday, I worried that I had overtrained with all the volume (actually looking back on my training log entries that's exactly what I reluctantly concluded). Last February when I went a little too far into Toughness Training, I stepped into Over-training resulting in a 6 month hiatus due to a massive drain of nerve force in my left arm (down to about 15% of my normal strength at its worst). It surprised me that it survived the Beta CST - only stalling out a couple times. I worried that was what happened today. Neuromuscular rehab isn't fun, and I'm grateful for the humility it taught me... forcibly.

However, that isn't what the case is here, fortunately. I won't begin PHASE II until it resolves. I'm not taking any chances of stretching a coiled spring. Time to tank up on the herbs. Hit the DROM 2X/day and trot for dynamic relaxation, hot baths, lots of rest... and eat like a horse.

Back to that next book I was writing... until I can get my grubby hands back on my Clubbells. Should be a couple days tops.

[Scott Sonnon]

10/13/03:

1st (Afternoon) Session: (45 minutes)

Cervical ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Shoulder Rolls, Screw, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Elbow Circles Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Wrist Circles, Diagonals, Waves, Infinities, Clover Leaves
Finger Circles, Chasing Circles, Flaps, Infinities, Waves
Arm Waves and Alternative Waves
Thoracic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Pelvic ROM, Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles, Crosses
Lumbar Infinities, Diagonals, Clover Leaves, Circles
Leg Infinity Diagonals
Four Corner Balance Drill arm stretch 30 sec/position
Vibration Drills: squats, strikes, sweeps, projections

Comments: Very difficult to complete a recovery phase... those Steel sirens seducing me inch by inch back to the gym. I'm chomping at the bit to get on to PHASE II, but I stuck to my guns, by engaging a really thorough DROM session. Then, took another hot bath and massaged the pulled muscle, tanked up on herbs and intend the remainder of the day relaxing. I'll be ready to go tomorrow (hopefully I'll be able to resist stealth-moding out to the gym at 0-dark-30 and await dawn like a normal human being.)